The hall went silent the second the hat uttered the word. Three syllables. Nine letters. The world seemed in slow motion. Rose felt blood rush to her ears and heard her pounding heartbeat.
"SLYTHERIN!"
She slowly, as if in a trance, walked over to the silver and green laden table. The house was to shocked to clap and an uncomfortable silence settled before clapping came from someone. Rose raised her eyes... Scorpius Malfoy? The rest of Slytherin seemed to snap out of it and welcomed her. The only seat was next to him. She briefly remembered her father telling her to beat him at every test. He held out his hand. "Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy." She nodded, still slowly as if she wasn't quite awake yet. Rose wasn't one to hold a grudge against someone she didn't know. It had to be personal if she were to really get mad. Rose shook his hand. "Er, I know. I mean, Rose Weasley."
Someone sniggered. "What are you doing here, half-blood scum?" Rose felt her eyes sting and was ready to curl up into a ball of anxiety and tears before she heard the blond next to her reply,
"Sorry, I wasn't aware that you were still in in preschool, Parkinson. That war is over." Rose was slightly shocked. Why would he defend her? But his silver eyes revealed nothing as he stared a flabbergasted Violet Parkinson down.
Merlin, how was she in Slytherin? She looked around for her cousin a table down. Rose caught his eye, but Albus looked away quickly as if he was ashamed. Rose felt fury but it fizzed out quickly. Although she wouldn't say it, she would probably feel the same way if it were her in Gryffindor and Albus in Slytherin. Rose felt ashamed when she thought of her father's reaction. She hid her face in her hands and didn't pay much more attention through the rest of the Sorting.
This was going to be a long seven years.